John McAllister Schofield
JOHN McALLISTER SCHOFIELD was born in Gerry, New York, on 29 December 1831; moved to Freeport, Illinois, 1843; graduated from West Point, 1853; served with 2d Artillery in Georgia and the 1st Artillery in Florida, 18531855; taught natural and experimental philosophy at West Point, 18551857; married his first wife, Harriet Bartlett, 1857; taught physics at Washington University, St. Louis, 1860; was detailed at the outbreak of the Civil War as mustering officer in Missouri; was major of the 1st Missouri Volunteer Infantry; moved up to command the Army of the Frontier in Missouri operations, 18621863; commanded the Department of the Missouri, 1863; commanded the XXIII Corps, 1864; participated in the battles of Franklin and Nashville; was commissioned brigadier general in the regular Army, 1864; commanded the Department of North Carolina; participated with Shermans forces in final operations in the South; was dispatched to France as confidential agent to deal with Mexican affairs, 18651866; commanded the Department of the Potomac, 1867; served as Secretary of War, 1 June 186813 March 1869; recommended that the management of Indian affairs be restored to the War Department; was promoted to major general and command of the Department of the Missouri; commanded the Division of the Pacific; served as superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy, 18761881; successively commanded the divisions of the Pacific, Missouri, and Atlantic; served as commanding general of the Army, 18881895; married Georgia Kilbourne, 1891; was promoted to lieutenant general and retired, 1895; died in St. Augustine, Florida, on 4 March 1906.
The Artist
Stephen William Shaw (18171900) was born in Windsor, Vermont. At thirty-one he journeyed to California by way of New Orleans and Panama to settle at San Francisco and pursue a career as a portrait painter. He became the official artist to the Masonic order there, painting a large number of Masons and other Western notables. He also participated in the expedition that discovered Humboldt Bay in New Guinea. Shaw painted Secretary Schofield from life in 1874 while his subject was commander of the Military Division of the Pacific with headquarters at San Francisco.
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JOHN McALLISTER SCHOFIELD
A. Johnson Administration
By Stephen William Shaw
Oil on canvas, 30" x 25", 1874
page created 2 March 2001